PINS AGAINST UNDEFENDED PIECES (UPMP)

Members · Prefs · Laboratory · Collections · Openings · Endgames · Sacrifices · History · Search Kibitzing · Kibitzer's Café · Chessforums · Tournament Index · Players ·

Kibitzing

PINS AGAINST UNDEFENDED PIECES (UPMP)
Compiled by notyetagm

UPMP: UNDEFENDED PIECE MEANS PIN -- notyetagm

EVERY UNDEFENDED PIECE IS A POSSIBLE CANDIDATE FOR A PIN -- Weteschnik

"Understanding Chess Tactics" by Martin Weteschnik, page 48:

Every undefended piece is a potential candidate for a pin

---
Karpov vs Kasparov, 1986

White to play after 8 ... ♘e4x♘c3:

click for larger view

Kasparov (Black) has just captured the <PINNED> White c3-knight with 8 ... ♘e4x♘c3. To a beginner it would appear that Black has just won material.

But Karpov (White) has a neat and thematic resource in this position. When Black played 8 ... ♘e4x♘c3 with the support of his <UNDEFENDED> Black a5-queen, he <LINED UP> his Black knight with his <UNDEFENDED> Black a5-queen. <<<Whenever you see two pieces of the same color on a file or a diagonal, you should be thinking <PIN(!)> (Weteschnik).>>>

So Karpov (White) plays 9 ♕d1-d2!, <PINNING> the Black c3-kight to the <UNDEFENDED> Black a5-queen, not losing any material at all.

Position after 9 ♕d1-d2!

click for larger view

WETESCHNIK ON PINS

-- Every undefended piece (<UNDEFENDED> Black a5-queen) is a potential candidate for a pin

-- Two pieces of the same color (Black c3-knight, <UNDEFENDED> Black a5-queen) on a file or diagonal (a5-e1 diagonal) should be considered as pinned

-- Every attacked piece of yours (Black c3-knight by White b2-pawn) standing in front of another of your pieces (<UNDEFENDED> Black a5-queen) must be regarded as pinned

---

Alekhine vs Capablanca, 1927

Position after 37 f2-f4!:

click for larger view

Now turn to "On My Great Predecessors, Part I", pages 390-391:

'This move, which deprives the black queen of the possibility of occupying a protected square on the e5-h8 diagonal, had been overlooked by Capablanca. The pin on the rook at c3, which Black was just about to resolve to his own advantage by ... ♘f6, threatening ... ♖xe3, now becomes fatal to him.' (Alekhine)

This quote answers a question I have long held: how did Capablanca get caught in this terrible <PIN>? Here Alekhine provides the answer: Capablanca simply overlooked 37 f2-f4!.

Now Capablanca (Black) is in a very bad situation. Since the Black b2-rook is <LOOSE> (one attacker: White b2-queen, one defender: Black e5-queen), the Black queen cannot lose contact with this rook without putting it en prise. Black was planning to release the <PIN> by playing ... ♘e4-f6 and then <PIN-BREAKING> by <DISCOVERY (RUBBERBAND)> ... ♖c3xe3!, shown below.

(VAR) Capablanca's planned escape from the <PIN>:

click for larger view

But with the White f4-pawn covering the e5-square and denying it to the Black queen, this <PIN-BREAKING> scheme fails, leaving Capablanca in a fatal <PIN>.

38 ... ♗f6-d8?? creates the <PINNING CHAIN> White b6-bishop + Black c7-knight + UNDEFENDED Black d8-bishop for a <PIN AGAINST AN UNDEFENDED PIECE>.

click for larger view

38 ♕e1-c3! then simply <PILES ON> the <PINNED> Black c7-knight, winning a piece.

click for larger view

Event "ICC 3 0"
Site "Internet Chess Club"
Date "2007.07.23"
Round "-"
White "Orcrist"
Black "Goldmund"
Result "1-0"
WhiteElo "3320"
BlackElo "2943"
ICCResult "Black resigns"
Opening "Pirc: Austrian attack, 6.Bd3"
ECO "A40"
NIC "PU.02"
Time "03:28:14"
TimeControl "180+0"

1. d4 g6 2. e4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. f4 Nf6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Bd3 Na6 7. O-O c5 8. d5 Bg4 9. h3 Bxf3 10. Rxf3 Nd7 11. Bc4 Nc7 12. a4 b6 13. Rg3 a6 14. Kh2 Qb8 15. Be2 Qb7 16. Bg4 Nf6 17. Bf3 Nd7 18. e5 b5 19. exd6 exd6 20. Ne4 Ne8 21. Qd3 c4 22. Qd2 Ndf6 23. axb5 axb5 24. Rxa8 Qxa8 25. Nxf6+ Nxf6 26. Qb4 Qa6 27. Bd2 Nd7 28. Be2 Re8 29. Re3 Rxe3 30. Bxe3 Nf6 31. Bf3 h5 32. b3 cxb3 33. cxb3 Ne8 34. g4 hxg4 35. hxg4 Nc7 36. Kg3 Bf6 37. Qe1 Qa3 38. Bb6 Bd8 39. Qc3
1-0

A great example of this principle is the following fragment from a recent ICC bullet game.

Black to play: 18 ... ?

click for larger view

Here Black could not resist playing 18 ... ♖d8-d2?!, penetrating to the 7th rank with his rook and <FORKING> the White e2-queen and b2-bishop.

Position after 18 ... ♖d8-d2?!

click for larger view

But notice this important point that Nakamura (White) saw. The d2-square was <DEFENDED> by the White e2-queen. So for the Black d8-rook to take the d2-square and occupy it, Black needs the support of his <UNDEFENDED> Black a5-queen.

Whenever you use your line pieces, you must be careful not to <MISPLACE (ALIGN)> your pieces! Here Black sees his Black a5-queen defending/supporting his Black d2-rook. Nakamura, on the other hand, sees a Black piece on d2 lined up =diagonally= with the <UNDEFENDED> Black a5-queen, which is not one but two(!) preconditions for a <PIN>: 1) two pieces of the same color lined up on a file or diagonal, and 2) the rear piece is <UNDEFENDED>.

So seeing these two preconditions for a <PIN>, Nakamura played 19 ♕e2-e1!, <PINNING> the Black d2-rook diagonally to the <UNDEFENDED> Black a5-queen.

Position after 19 ♕e2-e1! <pin>

click for larger view

Like Weteschnik writes, <EVERY UNDEFENDED PIECE IS A POTENTIAL CANDIDATE FOR A PIN>, page 48, "Understanding Chess Tactics".

EVERY UNDEFENDED PIECE IS A POTENTIAL CANDIDATE FOR A PIN

26 ... Qc7-a5!? pins White b4-rook to undefended White d2-queen
Nimzowitsch vs Tartakower, 1923
(A04) Reti Opening, 48 moves, 1-0
8 - Ne4xNc3 9 Qd1-d2! pins Black c3-knight, undefended a5-queen
Karpov vs Kasparov, 1986
(D82) Grunfeld, 4.Bf4, 32 moves, 1-0
10 Qe2-c2! pins Black e4-knight to undefended Black f5-bishop
Ivanchuk vs Carlsen, 2008
(C67) Ruy Lopez, 40 moves, 0-1
37 f2-f4! forces Black e5-queen onto square where undefended
Alekhine vs Capablanca, 1927
(D64) Queen's Gambit Declined, Orthodox, Rubinstein Attack, 41 moves, 1-0
24 Ne6!! f7xe6 leaves Black g6-queen undefended, target of pin
Morozevich vs Gelfand, 2007
(C42) Petrov Defense, 45 moves, 1/2-1/2
30 ... Rxf2?? 31 Rf5 pins Black f5-knight to undefended f2-rook
Kasparov vs Kramnik, 2001
(C67) Ruy Lopez, 41 moves, 1-0
32 ... Rc8xc6?? self-pins Black c3-bishop to undefended c6-rook
Kasparov vs Adams, 1997
(B04) Alekhine's Defense, Modern, 33 moves, 1-0
41 Nh6xf7! Black e5-knight is pinned against undefended b8-rook
Kasparov vs Karpov, 1986
(C92) Ruy Lopez, Closed, 41 moves, 1-0
39 ... Nf6xe4! 40 Qe2-f3 pins knight to undefended c6-queen
Anand vs Kasparov, 1997
(B84) Sicilian, Scheveningen, 41 moves, 0-1
32 ... Rd7xBd5! and White e4-pawn pinned to undefended c4-queen
Jakovenko vs Carlsen, 2007
(E20) Nimzo-Indian, 41 moves, 0-1
24 ... Rf8-f6! pins White d6-knight to undefended White c6-rook
K Bulski vs Negi, 2007
(C45) Scotch Game, 32 moves, 0-1
17 Qd2-f4!? pins Black f5-knight to undefended Black f6-queen
Adams vs I Zugic, 2007
(C09) French, Tarrasch, Open Variation, Main line, 51 moves, 1/2-1/2
29 - Qd6xNc6? 30 Qe3xRd4! exploits pin against undefended queen
Macieja vs Radjabov, 2007
(C63) Ruy Lopez, Schliemann Defense, 47 moves, 1-0
28 Nd4xe6! Black d6-rook blocks a3-f8 to undefended c5-queen
Adams vs M Gurevich, 2007
(C07) French, Tarrasch, 29 moves, 1-0
I Sokolov vs Shirov, 1999
(E97) King's Indian, 24 moves, 0-1
30 Nd3xNc5 Qa8xBc8 pins White c5-knight to undefended c2-queen
Z Kozul vs Topalov, 2007
(D02) Queen's Pawn Game, 41 moves, 0-1
30 f5-f6! explits pin on Black g7-pawn to undefended g8-rook
Mamedyarov vs Van Wely, 2008
(B20) Sicilian, 41 moves, 1-0
38 ... c4-c3+! White e2-knight pinned to undefended d2-queen
Vaganian vs Short, 1989
(D35) Queen's Gambit Declined, 53 moves, 0-1
30 Nh4-f5! exploits pin of Black e6-pawn to undefended c6-queen
Yurtaev vs Gulko, 1994
(A07) King's Indian Attack, 30 moves, 1-0
27 Bc4-a6! White b8-rook pins Black b7-pawn to undef b6-bishop
Radjabov vs Carlsen, 2008
(C65) Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defense, 43 moves, 1-0
18 Qd1-c1!! pins the Black e3-rook to undefended Black g5-queen
Rubinstein vs Lasker, 1909
(D30) Queen's Gambit Declined, 40 moves, 1-0
21 Nc4-e3! White b2-bishop pins d4-pawn to undefended f6-bishop
Anand vs Beliavsky, 1992
(C61) Ruy Lopez, Bird's Defense, 24 moves, 1-0
33 Nf4-e6! White e8-rook pins d8-knight to undefended b8-rook
Knaak vs Hertneck, 1991
(A57) Benko Gambit, 33 moves, 1-0
27 - Nf5-h4! Black h3-queen pins g3-pawn to undefended c3-queen
Morozevich vs Adams, 2001
(C52) Evans Gambit, 27 moves, 0-1
25 Rg1-g5?? Qe5xRg5! White e3-bishop pinned to undef d3-queen
A Riazantsev vs Svidler, 2008
(E71) King's Indian, Makagonov System (5.h3), 25 moves, 0-1
37 .. Rf8-e8! wins piece, makes pin against undef White e1-rook
Bacrot vs Carlsen, 2008
(E21) Nimzo-Indian, Three Knights, 62 moves, 0-1
32 Re1-h1! pins Black h4-bishop to the undefended Black h8-rook
Carlsen vs Gelfand, 2008
(B90) Sicilian, Najdorf, 33 moves, 1-0
14 Qc2-e4!? pins the Black e5-pawn to undefended Black e7-queen
Carlsen vs A Volokitin, 2008
(D56) Queen's Gambit Declined, 79 moves, 1/2-1/2
10 Qc2-e4!? pins Black d5-knight to undefended Black b7-bishop
Shirov vs Jakovenko, 2008
(E15) Queen's Indian, 46 moves, 1-0
17 Re1d1! exploits pin on Black e4-pawn to undefended b7-bishop
Aronian vs Adams, 2008
(E17) Queen's Indian, 20 moves, 1-0
27 ... d7-d5! White c4-knight pinned to undefended a4-queen
J H Miyasato vs Polgar, 1988
(B48) Sicilian, Taimanov Variation, 28 moves, 0-1
18 Qd1-e1 pins the Black b4-knight to undefended Black a5-queen
K Kuderinov vs M Arnold, 2008
(B90) Sicilian, Najdorf, 18 moves, 1-0
8 ... Nd5-e3+! White d2-pawn pinned to undefended d1-queen
Iverhov vs Ilianako, 1957
(C35) King's Gambit Accepted, Cunningham, 8 moves, 0-1
39 Ne5-c6 exploits pin of Black b4-bishop to undefended b5-rook
Carlsen vs Onischuk, 2007
(D30) Queen's Gambit Declined, 39 moves, 1-0
26 Qb2-e5! pins Black d5-knight to undefended Black a5-queen
Aronian vs Gelfand, 2008
(E15) Queen's Indian, 26 moves, 1-0
40 Rc8-c7 pin against undefended Black f6-queen costs a rook
Aronian vs Grischuk, 2008
(D47) Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, 42 moves, 1-0
10 ... Nf6xe4!, 11 .. Bc8-f5 creates pin against undef c2-queen
V Artsukevich vs Korchnoi, 1953
(E76) King's Indian, Four Pawns Attack, 24 moves, 0-1
26 Nc3xd5! exploits pin on the Black e6-bishop to undef e8-rook
Ivanchuk vs Svidler, 2008
(A48) King's Indian, 31 moves, 1-0
31 Rb1-b2 pins Black c2-knight to undef Black d2-rook, winning
Ivanchuk vs Carlsen, 2008
(E15) Queen's Indian, 38 moves, 1-0
26 ... Qb4xb5 White c4-pawn is pinned to undef White c2-queen
Shirov vs Svidler, 2008
(D16) Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, 43 moves, 1-0
26 ... Rc8-c7?? defends b7-square but leaves a8-rook undefended
Kramnik vs Anand, 2008
(E20) Nimzo-Indian, 29 moves, 1-0
27 ... Bb7-c8! pins White f5-knight against undef h3-bishop
Pelletier vs Carlsen, 2008
(E15) Queen's Indian, 40 moves, 0-1
17 Nd4-f5! exploits pin of Black e6-pawn against undf e7-bishop
Ivanchuk vs Carlsen, 2008
(A30) English, Symmetrical, 43 moves, 1-0
23 Qg5-c1! pins Black c6-knight to undefended Black c7-queen
Carlsen vs Ivanchuk, 2007
(D86) Grunfeld, Exchange, 35 moves, 1-0
34 Rc7-a7 pins Black a6-bishop to the undefended Black a5-rook
Carlsen vs Navara, 2008
(C78) Ruy Lopez, 50 moves, 1-0
36 c5-c6! White d3-rook pins Black d4-knight to undef d5-rook
Aronian vs Van Wely, 2009
(D11) Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, 50 moves, 1/2-1/2
29 f2-f3 wins Black e4-knight pinned to the undefended e8-queen
Kramnik vs Topalov, 2006
(E10) Queen's Pawn Game, 43 moves, 1-0
22 - Rc4xBa4! undef White d1-rook victim of a d-file pin
M Parligras vs Tiviakov, 2008
(B01) Scandinavian, 33 moves, 0-1
25 Bc1-e3 White f3-bishop pins Black d5-knight, undef b7-bishop
Colle vs Capablanca, 1929
(A47) Queen's Indian, 34 moves, 0-1
31 ... Re8?? Aronian self-pins Black e5-knight to undef e8-rook
Ivanchuk vs Aronian, 2009
(D45) Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, 35 moves, 1-0
27 ... Rd7xBd5! White c4-pawn is pinned to undefended c1-rook
D Doric vs D Bocharov, 2009
(E10) Queen's Pawn Game, 27 moves, 0-1
41 Rc1-c7+! White c8-queen pins Black d7-rook to undef f5-queen
Smyslov vs Uhlmann, 1973
(C07) French, Tarrasch, 41 moves, 1-0
Kramnik vs Leko, 2009
(D44) Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, 36 moves, 1-0
35 Rg1-g8! pins the Black e8-knight to the undef Black d8-rook
D E Vigorito vs N Christiansen, 2006
(D20) Queen's Gambit Accepted, 35 moves, 1-0
34 - Nb7-d8 Black c8-rook pins White c6-bishop to undef c2-rook
Li Shilong vs Y Wang, 2006
(B33) Sicilian, 35 moves, 0-1
34 .. Rg4xf4+! White g2-knight pinned to the undefended g1-rook
Janowski vs Capablanca, 1916
(D15) Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, 46 moves, 0-1
23 ... Qc6-b6! pins White d4-knight against undef e3-queen
Ivanchuk vs Shirov, 2009
(B52) Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky (Rossolimo) Attack, 24 moves, 0-1
23 b2-b4! Black a5-pawn pinned against undefended Black a8-rook
Carlsen vs Y Wang, 2009
(D15) Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, 33 moves, 1-0
22 .. Nd5-e3! Black d8-rook pins White d2-pawn to undef d1-rook
Fischer vs Smyslov, 1970
(A02) Bird's Opening, 64 moves, 1-0
31 Rd4xNe4! Black d5-pawn pinned to undefended Black h5-rook
Morozevich vs Gelfand, 2009
(C24) Bishop's Opening, 31 moves, 1-0
24 Bc5-d6?? Rd5xBd6! White e5-pawn pinned to undef b2-rook
M Gretzer vs Leko, 1990
(D85) Grunfeld, 24 moves, 0-1
16 c5-c6! White d5-queen pins b5-pawn to undefended a5-queen
Kramnik vs Ponomariov, 2009
(D38) Queen's Gambit Declined, Ragozin Variation, 81 moves, 1-0
38 ... Bb7xd5?? 39 Rd3-c3 pins d5-bishop to undefended d6-rook
Carlsen vs Karjakin, 2009
(D15) Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, 70 moves, 1-0
J Szily vs Gligoric, 1948
(C91) Ruy Lopez, Closed, 21 moves, 0-1
49 Nf4-d5?? allows pin to undef d3-queen, 49 Nf4-e2 does not
Aronian vs Kotronias, 2010
(D30) Queen's Gambit Declined, 49 moves, 1/2-1/2
24 Qa6-c8+! pins c5-knight to undef c3-queen for 25 Rd1-d7+!
Ivanchuk vs Van Wely, 2010
(B96) Sicilian, Najdorf, 26 moves, 1-0
31 ... Qc5xNb5! 0-1 Black a8-rook pins a4-pawn to undef a1-rook
Carlsen vs Ivanchuk, 2010
(A00) Uncommon Opening, 31 moves, 0-1
31 ... Nd3xf2! White c2-rook pinned to undefended White d1-rook
Kramnik vs Gelfand, 2010
(E15) Queen's Indian, 34 moves, 0-1
So vs T S Nguyen, 2010
(A15) English, 26 moves, 1/2-1/2
21 Bc1-b2! pins the Black c3-knight to undefended d4-bishop
T S Nguyen vs Giri, 2010
(A04) Reti Opening, 59 moves, 1-0
Polgar vs M Sharif, 1989
(C30) King's Gambit Declined, 25 moves, 0-1
19 ... Qd8-e8! pins White d7-rook to undefended White a4-queen
Ljubojevic vs Anand, 1997
(D23) Queen's Gambit Accepted, 31 moves, 0-1
T S Nguyen vs M Kanep, 2010
(D02) Queen's Pawn Game, 43 moves, 1-0
Morozevich vs Tkachiev, 2007
(A06) Reti Opening, 29 moves, 1-0
26 Qb6xNc5 pins Black d5-bishop to undefended Black h5-queen
Aronian vs Shirov, 2011
(D52) Queen's Gambit Declined, 53 moves, 1-0
Anand vs Shirov, 2010
(C78) Ruy Lopez, 55 moves, 1-0
Gheorghiu vs Beliavsky, 1982
(A58) Benko Gambit, 47 moves, 0-1
Navara vs Grischuk, 2011
(D37) Queen's Gambit Declined, 54 moves, 1/2-1/2
27 ... Nf6-d7?? self-pins to undef Black d8-rook, 28 Rb4-d4!+-
Sasikiran vs Anand, 2011
(D45) Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, 48 moves, 1/2-1/2
62 Rc2-d2! pins Black d4-bishop against the undef Black d5-rook
Ivanchuk vs Carlsen, 2011
(D82) Grunfeld, 4.Bf4, 74 moves, 1/2-1/2
28 Nd4xf5!
T Kosintseva vs Kosteniuk, 2012
(B67) Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer Attack, 7...a6 Defense, 8...Bd7, 29 moves, 1-0
Radjabov vs Navara, 2012
(D73) Neo-Grunfeld, 5.Nf3, 32 moves, 1-0
20 Ne4xc5! Black d6-pawn pinned against undef b8-rook
Mamedyarov vs T S Nguyen, 2013
(A57) Benko Gambit, 34 moves, 1-0
23 ... d6-d5! 0-1 exploits undef c2-queen and loose g2-mate sq
Hracek vs Kramnik, 2002
(C65) Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defense, 23 moves, 0-1
26 ... Bg7-g6 pin against king, 28 ... Kf7-g8 pin against undef
I Videnova-Kuljasevic vs S Guramishvili, 2013
(B94) Sicilian, Najdorf, 35 moves, 0-1
25 ... Bc6-d7 pins White e6-knight against undefended g4-bishop
Mamedyarov vs S Shoker, 2013
(A46) Queen's Pawn Game, 28 moves, 1-0
28 .. c7-c6?? 29 Re1xe4! d6-knight pinned against undef d8-rook
Mamedyarov vs Wei Yi, 2013
(A45) Queen's Pawn Game, 59 moves, 1-0
87 games

» View all game collections by notyetagm
» Search entire game collection library
» Clone this game collection (copy it to your account)
» FAQ: Help with Game Collections